MORE than 80 people attended a consultation event over plans to build 140 houses on the Becks Mill site in Silsden.

The developers say that more than half of residents who filled in questionnaires backed the proposals to transform the derelict industrial land.

The plans for the 11-acre site next to Keighley Road could create an estimated 75 jobs and bring a £7 million boost to the economy.

They replace unsuccessful proposals to build a Tesco supermarket on the site.

Planning, design and economics consultancy Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners (NLP) hosted the consultation event at Silsden Town Hall.

NLP director Anthony Greally said: “We had a good turnout at the consultation event and we estimate over 80 people attended."

NLP subsequently received 59 completed questionnaires, which asked two tick-box style’ questions, together with a section provided for people to make other comments.

One question was “Are you generally in favour of new homes in Silsden?”, and NLP said 58 per cent of respondents stated that they strongly agreed or agreed.

A quarter of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed, with the remainder being either neutral or had no comment.

The other question, “Are you generally in favour of new homes on the site?”, saw 54 per cent of people either in agreement or strongly in agreement.

Thirty-one per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed, with the remainder being either neutral or having no comment.

Mr Greally said: “In our experience of undertaking consultation on emerging residential proposals of this scale and nature, we consider this to amount to a high level of positive support for the redevelopment of the site.”

The site earmarked for development includes the land formerly occupied by the Becks Mill industrial buildings and adjacent land, south of Sykes Lane and west of Keighley Road.

The land had previously been the subject of an application for a new Tesco store, which was refused by Bradford Council last year, whilst part of the site is already allocated for residential development.

District councillors Adrian Naylor and Andrew Mallinson accept the site is one of the most suitable in Silsden to help meet the town’s target of 1,200 new homes in the next few years.

But they have both warned it could worsen pressure on congested Keighley Road, potentially causing tailbacks to the Aire Valley trunk road.